Short Stories; The Bridge of Suicide
A beautiful family living together in peace; a young father, a wife and two kids will make a happy family. He soon loses his job and sought out to find another. How come he couldn’t find after his diligent search, his wife had to take responsibility of all family cares. He was getting tired of watching his wife strife with her everyday activity in their family dealings. She comes home with a sad countenance; her job gave up on her. Now hope is going back to the land of the dead. They both can’t fulfill any responsibility concerning warfare. Landlord wouldn’t have them stay a minute longer, Shade their second daughter falls for the temptation of sickness and will be needing a medical attention as soon as possible.
He sets out on a journey on foot. Going somewhere? He couldn’t tell but believed that the Earth had edge so he can fall off. A bridge is similar to his imaginations so he stopped by on the fourth main land bridge to view his world for the last time. He gave a first attempt but wouldn’t pull the trigger; the second attempt was not effective. He will girdle his loins and be a man; the third must not fail lest this world hunt him. An old woman walks by him and she whispered some words audible enough for him to hear.
“Am too old to die” she said.
This young man was shocked, “This old woman does not fear death, if at all her dying wish can be death!” he thought. He was yet looking at the old woman walk past him as she furthered in her distance. Suddenly a middle aged man who looks to be in his fifties rushed towards him giving him an envelope and straight away jumps below the bridge. Unknown to this young man a police man not un-duty was watching from a distance but made no attempt to interfere in the situation. This young man was again shocked; first the old woman now this middle aged man. Well he resolved to read what was in the envelope;
“It has been a wonderful life for me when I decided to make a vacation trip with my family. Seven days of horror and pain and anguish boils within me, how can life be any crueler to me and my brother Job? First my car crashed taking the soul of my wife to the land of no return; my 4 children attended the burial ceremony but on their way home death collected them from me. People say my riches talked with nemesis to catch up with me-that I used them to increase my wealth. What can that wealth do now? Buy me joy or peace? 270million naira and co can’t bring them back. To whoever reads this story should do me the honor of accepting ownership of these useless riches.”
Another paper fell off from the envelop which on a closer look shaped like a check containing the same amount stated in the sad story. Since when did suicide start bringing good fortune, what kind of joker life is this? Well going home will be a celebration. Now it is time to move, the police noticed the countenance of this young man changed drastically and he aim to know why. What kind of letter can make a living dead man alive again? What converse between him and the man that committed suicide? Fortunately he was seated in front of a police station, where it was time for him to resume duty. A journalist took several pictures of the whole incidence. The young man happily leaves the scene but was approached by a young man like himself and a young woman telling him his history some minutes ago with pictured evidences. He was taken to the police station and the police man said “a dead man is not worth any share in the land of the living” the check was taken from him as he was allegedly charged for witnessing a criminal offence without making any attempt to report the situation also charged for attempting suicide. The hand cuffs were not fitting on his hands. Suicide is betrayal.
His case was taking to the court and judge ordered him to be treated at a rehab. His family felt betrayed by his earlier actions, especially his wife. The court also ordered that the money be given to the family. This young man betrayed his family and will remain nine months at the rehab. His life will never be the same again.
AmenRadio…Keep on Believing
By; Adedeji Oshigbesan
